Hammer killer jailed for 39 years for murdering British couple in the Canary Islands

Juan Santana admitted killing the couple but claimed he was not responsible for his actions because he was high on drink and drugs

A Spanish man convicted of murdering a British couple in a violent hammer attack has been jailed for 39 years.

Construction worker Juan Carmelo Santana was sentenced to 22 years in prison for killing Brian Johnson, 59, by battering him repeatedly around the head in a drug-fuelled frenzy.

He was given another 17 years for the murder of Brian's wife Tina, 57, who died after a single blow to the head.

Judges also ordered him today to pay the couple's son Sam £270,000 in compensation.

The sentence came 11 days after a jury convicted Santana of murdering the expat couple when they went to collect unpaid rent from him at an apartment they owned on the sunshine island of Fuerteventura on July 1 2006.

Under Spanish law, he will serve no more than 30 years in prison.

The three years he has already served in custody will be deducted from his jail time.

Mrs Johnson was killed by a single hammer blow to the head and her husband suffered up to 10 hammer blows as he arrived at the flat Santana rented from them minutes later.

The killer went out for drinks with friends after hiding their bodies under his bed - then wrapped them in plastic bags and blankets and dumped them on waste ground.

A hunter out walking with his dog discovered them partially buried under rocks four days after they were killed.

Brian Johnson and his wife Tina were murdered when they demanded rent from their tenant

Judges have ruled that Santana must pay Sam Johnson (pictured) compensation of £270,000

Santana admitted killing the couple at the start of his three day-trial a fortnight ago.

But he claimed he was not responsible for his actions because he was high on a cocktail of drink and drugs including strong magic mushrooms from central America.

He also blamed depression following the death of his wife.

A state prosecutor had asked the three judges tasked with sentencing Santana to jail him for 41 years - 23 years for Mr Johnson's murder and 18 for his wife's.

A private prosecutor hired by the victims' families had called on judges to sentence him to a total of 45 years.

Mr and Mrs Johnson moved to Spain from Britain nine years before they met their deaths.

Estate agent John Goldacre, who worked with the dead woman for more than two years, said: 'They were great people.'

The couple's son was today unavailable for comment.

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Hammer killer jailed for 39 years for murdering British couple in Canary Islands